JOHN J. SCHWENK Kingston, N.Y. The Honorable John J. Schwenk of Kingston, former mayor of the City of Kingston and lifelong resident of the area, died Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000, in Benedictine Hospital, Kingston. He was 101. The son of the late Christian and Barbara Schmidt Schwenk, he was born July 18, 1899. A government and community service record spanning generations, he was elected as a Republican Alderman of the Third Ward in 1932. In 1933, he was elected Alderman at Large and President of the Common Council when the mayor resigned after 11 days in office. He was re-elected for terms as Alderman at Large 1935 to 1948, 1956 and 1957. He was elected mayor from 1962 to 1965. He served on the Kingston Board of Public Works; chaired 1948 committee for charter revision; member of the Board of Water Commissioners, serving as its president in 1955; chairman of the Kingston Hospital Building Fund in 1950; and member of the Board of Directors of Ulster County Red Cross. Mr. Schwenk was a U.S. Army Veteran, having served in the 32nd Division Muise-Argonne Campaign in France and the occupation in Germany during WWI. From 1940 to 1947, he served in the 56th Infantry of the New York National Guard, where he held posts as Company Commander and Officer in Charge of the New York State Armory. A leader in veterans affairs, he was a founding and life member of Joyce Schirick Post 1386, Veterans of Foreign Wars and life member of Kingston Post 150, American Legion. In July of 1999, the French government honored him for his service in WWI with the National Order of the Legion of Honor. He was employed by A.T.&T. for 36 years until retirement. He was a life member of the Communication Workers of America; Telephone Pioneers; past member of the Morse Telegraph Club; and member of B.P.O.E. #550. He is survived by his wife of 78 years, Mary "May" Shine Schwenk. In February 1996, the Schwenks were honored at St. Patrick's Cathedral by the late Cardinal John O'Connor in a Mass for World Marriage Day as the longest married couple in the Archdiocese of New York. Also surviving are two daughters, Virginia Lancer of Kingston and Sister Eileen Schwenk M.M. of the Maryknoll Sisters, Maryknoll; nieces and nephews; two stepgrandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren; and two stepgreat-great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by two brothers, Herman and Fred Schwenk; and one sister, Elizabeth Krueger. Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, at the Joseph V. Leahy Funeral Home, 27 Smith Ave., Kingston. The funeral procession will form at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church. Burial, with military honors by Joyce Schirick Post 1386 Color Guard, will be in St. Mary's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of contributions to the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic Maryknoll, P.O. Box 311, Maryknoll, N.Y. 10545 or to a charity of one's choice.